No one asked me - Diomede screenshots on whatever - Warning AI Discussion OK

1192022242550

Comments

  • Bunyip02Bunyip02 Posts: 8,677

    Diomede

    Somehow I missed this post. I will have to take a look at it early in the day because there is so much info in it.

    Has quite a bit of very useful info, well worth bookmarking.

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited November 2018

    My Workflow for Genesis and Genesis 2 Characters

    Recently saw DarbyO'Gill and he Little People.  Inspired to create a leprechaun character.  Thought it might be a good point of departure to share my workflow for this sort of custom character.  For a Genesis+ character that I intend to use often, I typically save the character as a Daz Studio preset (scene subset) and the conforming clothes and hair as presets (wearable presets) in the Daz Studio content folder.  That holds down the claim on disc space, I believe, and the figure gets any morphs that I add, unlike a figure saved to the Carrara obj browser, which have their available morphs frozen at the time of saving.  I get the skin shader the way I want for Carrara, and then save a global shader to Carrara's browser.  Do the same for the clothing and hair.  When I start a project, I load the figure from the preset tray, drag and drop the global skin shader, load the clothing and hair from the preset folder, and drag global shaders to each.  There are some exceptions, for example if I am using Carrara dynamic hair and it has not been converted to an obj, or if a clothing item is intended for VWD.

     

    Here is an example using G2M to make a leprechaun.

     

    Test Darby and Lep.jpg
    1000 x 1000 - 213K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited November 2018

    Here are some screenshots of 

    - my Daz Content Library Presets folder for the G2M Leprechaun

    - My Carrara object bowser for the corresponding OBJs.

    bb01 load figure and clothes no textures carrara dynmic hair.JPG
    1852 x 1018 - 229K
    bb02 Carrara objs for vwd or other.JPG
    1894 x 1025 - 228K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited November 2018

    Two versions of the Hair/Beard

     

    There are two versions of the hair/beard.  One is Carrara dynamic hair.  The other was converted to an OBJ woth Philemo's plugi, then made a conforming figure for G2M using Studio's transfer utility.  The obj is better if I want to use the toon filter or th NPR render engine.

    Here is the untextured obj version of the hair/beard

     

    bb03 untextured conforming hair.JPG
    1142 x 1029 - 138K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited November 2018

    Workflow VWD on multiple characters in complex scene

     

    Invite suggestions.  Here is one way I've tried to deal with multiple drapes on my custom folks in the same image. Pose and drape and each figure separately.  Save the pose as an NLA clip.  Convert the draped cloth to a primitive and then back to a vertex object.  Create an empty correction morph for the draped converted cloth.  Save the converted draped object.  Repeat for each figure.  

    Start a new scene.  Load each figure and load its pose clip in ts NLA track.  Load each saved draped obj cloth.  Use animaiton menu to attach each cloth to its figure's skeleton.  Arrange scene. If need to makepose adjustments, crate a new NLA track for that figure and create a new editible pose clip.  Default is override mode so the new NLA clip will override the existing.  Adjust figure pose, attached cloth should follow.  If there is minor poke through, use the vertex modeler in posed position to adjust (which is why te empty morph was created).

     

    nn04b parent hair to head and load a dress outside group so name shorter.JPG
    1394 x 1005 - 190K
    nn20 assemble room see original dress ther but visibility off.JPG
    1253 x 777 - 121K
    nn33 conert primitive dress back to vertex.JPG
    1234 x 961 - 147K
    nn37 new NLA track and new editible clip to continue posing.JPG
    1912 x 994 - 241K
    nn39 can edt morph in posed position.JPG
    1879 x 1024 - 268K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • VyusurVyusur Posts: 2,235

    Ted, I like your leprechaun more than Floydsmiley

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179

    Thank you  I included Floyd for reference to scale.

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 8,102
    Vyusur said:

    Ted, I like your leprechaun more than Floydsmiley

    +1 on that. 

    though I don't have Floyd ( sorry Floyd ) 

    awesome work as usual @Diomede_Carrara yes

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,990

    Workflow VWD on multiple characters in complex scene

     

    Invite suggestions.  Here is one way I've tried to deal with multiple drapes on my custom folks in the same image. Pose and drape and each figure separately.  Save the pose as an NLA clip.  Convert the draped cloth to a primitive and then back to a vertex object.  Create an empty correction morph for the draped converted cloth.  Save the converted draped object.  Repeat for each figure.  

    Start a new scene.  Load each figure and load its pose clip in ts NLA track.  Load each saved draped obj cloth.  Use animaiton menu to attach each cloth to its figure's skeleton.  Arrange scene. If need to makepose adjustments, crate a new NLA track for that figure and create a new editible pose clip.  Default is override mode so the new NLA clip will override the existing.  Adjust figure pose, attached cloth should follow.  If there is minor poke through, use the vertex modeler in posed position to adjust (which is why te empty morph was created).

     

    thanks for that work flow :) 

    a few questions for my addled brain :)

    Q: why do you make the obj a primitif and then back to a vertex object?

    Q: when ypu attach  obj as a figure - how do you go with the fall off zones etc?

    Q: often my VWD cloth is full of ugly tris which show in  the render - even if I smooth it - but increasing subdivison doent help, if subdividing too much before sim VWD spits the dummy ;)

    Q: In VWD I have a simmed cloth but I want to adjust it by doing a still drape - not animated drape - at that frame - I think it always wants to do frame 1? any clues on getting it to do the still drape at a certain frame 

     

     

    I did a lot of multifigure images for the hugo ball show. I just did them individually with a four second animation

    then joined them up in one scene and rendered out a still at the four second mark. 

     

    ps love the leprechaun too :) 

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited November 2018

    Thanks for the comments on the leprechaun.  Wil use in the Its Raining Men event.  


    Q: why do you make the obj a primitif and then back to a vertex object?

    I like that is creates a new static prop that can be loaded in a single frame, edited, and attached to a skeleton.


    Q: when ypu attach  obj as a figure - how do you go with the fall off zones etc?

    I make sure to create one morph zone and one empty morph.  Sometmes, it is best to correct problems using the morph, sometimes with the weightbrush alloff zones.  Just case by case.


    Q: often my VWD cloth is full of ugly tris which show in  the render - even if I smooth it - but increasing subdivison doent help, if subdividing too much before sim VWD spits the dummy ;)

    I select the objec and then use the untriangulate function most of the time.  It doesn't fix all problems, but it helps.  Morphs are preserved even with untriangulate.

     

    Here is the same G2M leprechaun but I've used Genesis instead of Genesis 8 to shape the Darby O'Gill character.  Simpler for carrara. Millenium cat with the real fur product.  Checking my libraries for a barn or hayloft for the setting.

     

     

    darby test with cat.jpg
    640 x 480 - 18K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • MistaraMistara Posts: 38,675

    kitteh render put sheldon's kitty song in my headsmiley

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,990

    Thanks Diomede, cheers ;)

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179

    NLA clips, or use Studio as a plugin to create and save poses?  Have been experimenting with the latter recently.  Workds for characters created from full bodymorphs of geneis figures, but not convenient for my custom Carrara-rigged characters.  Never have gotten Wendy's FBX export and reimport to work.

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,990

    NLA clips, or use Studio as a plugin to create and save poses?  Have been experimenting with the latter recently.  Workds for characters created from full bodymorphs of geneis figures, but not convenient for my custom Carrara-rigged characters.  Never have gotten Wendy's FBX export and reimport to work.

    maybe Wendy can give us a simple example

     

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited November 2018

    A Little Frustration with Replicators for a Forest - suggestions welcome

     

    Trying to create pieces to replicate a forest.  To ensure undergrowth, I tried placing the tree on a small terrain, duplicating and replicating some foliage around the base, and saving the group to my browser.  Experiencing a couple of frustrations.

    1)  For some reason, my saved small terrain will not preserve the "local" setting that I have for one of my blenders.  It keeps getting reset to global when loaded in a new scene no matter how many times I save the local.

    2)  The edge of the small terrain is visible if the large terrain has steep portions, or I have to make the the small terrain more steep than I would like. 

    aa02 tree whole.jpg
    640 x 480 - 20K
    aa01 terrain base foliage.jpg
    640 x 480 - 40K
    aa03 see edge.jpg
    640 x 480 - 71K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,990

    err, strange about the shader, what if you save it out to objects then reimport?

    the small terrains, I would convert them to mesh then add thickness perhaps? bit clunky maybe - or you could duplicate the small terrain, expand it a bit then make it invisable, and use it as a replicating base for a bunch of leaves that would camouflage the edge

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 9,990

    alternatively where those small terrains are - get rid of them and add a fairly discrete displacement map to the big terrain - and also use that same displacement map to generate where the trees and leaves will appear, should be a lot smoother?

  • StezzaStezza Posts: 8,102
    edited November 2018

    for the leaf scatter I just did this.... takes 3 minutes ..

    insert your terrain

    duplicate it and rename it then convert it to a vertex model

    select the polys around the base of the tree... invert selection then delete.. add a surface replicator and add your leaves to it using the polys as the surface.. hide the surface so only the leaves appear in the render

     

    Render....

     

    coverted_terrainmesh.jpg
    1271 x 751 - 118K
    select_polys.jpg
    830 x 716 - 167K
    invert_selectionand_delete.jpg
    654 x 682 - 61K
    add_surface_relicator.jpg
    1349 x 733 - 115K
    render.jpg
    654 x 521 - 61K
    Post edited by Stezza on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited November 2018

    Thanks for the suggestions, guys.  Focusing on the big terrain and combining a displacemen map with the replicator placement map may be the way to go.  Stezza and I think alike.  That leaf placement is how I placed the grass around the base of my tree.  What I am doing works fine as long as the terrain dos not transition too quickly.  The problem is that using the slope parameter in the replicator can prevent placing a tree ON a steep slope, but it can't prevent placing a tree NEAR a steep slope.  Here is an example of my approach working fine because the slope changes relatively smoothly.  M4 is there for scale.  The tree is relatively tall (50 feet).  I've replicated the tree wit its smaller terrain and bushes base on a larger 500 by 500 terrain   The hot point is high enough along the trunk that no edges can be seen.

    bb09 m4 among trees.jpg
    640 x 480 - 59K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited November 2018

    Here are some screenshots of the workflow.  Maybe something can come up in an intermediate step.

    - I created a small uneven terrain with zero edges.

    - I used a shader mixer with an alpha map set to elevation to get rid of the bottom square corners.

    - I placed the large tree (50 feet) on the small terrain.

    - I used the plant modeler to make a couple of smaller bushes to place around the base of the tree.  (M4 for scale)

    bb01 small terrain.JPG
    1706 x 812 - 124K
    bb02 small terrain texture mixer with alpha to eliminate flat corners.JPG
    1122 x 727 - 91K
    bb03 render see get small terrain.jpg
    640 x 480 - 21K
    bb04 tree on small terrain.jpg
    640 x 480 - 22K
    bb05 M4 with tree and bushes for scale.jpg
    640 x 480 - 34K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179

    Similar to Stezza's leaves, I replicated some long grass and wildflowers around the base of the tree.  I duplicated the small terrain, reduced its resolution, and converted it to a vertex object.  I deleted the polygons where the tree and bushes were.  I also deleted the crater polygons.  I replicated a few different grass plants on the augmented small terrain copy.  The result from a couple of angles.

    bb06 add the grass.jpg
    640 x 480 - 50K
    bb07 another angle.jpg
    640 x 480 - 41K
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179

    The combined tree, bushes, and grass was saved to the object browser.  I then loaded a larger terrain and replicated this combined tree element.

    bb08 render tree and small terrain on larger terrain.jpg
    640 x 480 - 62K
    bb09 m4 among trees.jpg
    640 x 480 - 59K
    bb10 tree test render again.jpg
    800 x 600 - 85K
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited November 2018

    I would not just replicate this tree on a terrain by itself.  I intend to combine with a variety of similar elements to create forests, parks, and similar.  All of the shaders right now are procedural.  It will look better with better shaders.   

    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited December 2018

    Decorating a tree with tinsel

    Here is one workflow for decorating a Christmas tree with tinsel.  I use the vertex room curve polyline tool and Phlemo's hair-to-mesh conversion plugin.

     

    aa00b base tree to decorate.jpg
    971 x 1007 - 517K
    aa01b envelope around tree.jpg
    1878 x 988 - 622K
    aa02b interpolated line and an oval around hidden blob covering.jpg
    1865 x 950 - 633K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited December 2018

    more

    aa03b sweep the oval.jpg
    1817 x 925 - 572K
    aa04 tinsel.JPG
    1856 x 860 - 192K
    aa05b test render string and converted hair.jpg
    640 x 480 - 167K
    aa06b tinsel tree testrender.jpg
    500 x 500 - 167K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • mmm that curve tool looks fun for maybe drawing on clothes on figures too.

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179

    Cool idea.  Also, it would be one option for a mummy's bandages or a captive's ropes or similar.

  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited December 2018

    Some Thoughts on Rigging in Carrara and in Studio for Use in Carrara

    Have been working with more of my silly toon figures. In this case, the placement of the head where the chin overlaps the chest causes some rigging issues.  I intend to use in Carrara, but rigging in Studio has some advantages (and challenges).

     

    Here is the base model, which will be morphed and props added to make various character.  When I rigged in Carrara,  the initial bone placements resulted in problems where the chin overaped the chest.

     

    Here it is rigged in Studio, where it is easier to control the initial assignment of polygons to bones, and then loaded in Carrara.  I have selected the waist bone when loaded in Carrara so you can see the rotation circles (X, Y, Z) are correct for the selected joint.

    nn00 base mdel.JPG
    1823 x 964 - 254K
    nn01 flat toon guy rigged in Studio brought in Carrara see root.JPG
    1704 x 995 - 203K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited December 2018

    Unfortunately, rigging in Studio creates its own challenges.  For example, I forgot to delete the root bone.  More importantly, the chest bone is not vertical, by which I mean the rotation circles are not aligned correctly.

    The Hands rigged pretty well.

    nn02 see waist rotation correct but.JPG
    1893 x 929 - 226K
    nn03 but chest has gotten skewed.JPG
    1746 x 936 - 210K
    nn04 hands pretty good.JPG
    1626 x 982 - 205K
    Post edited by Diomede on
  • DiomedeDiomede Posts: 15,179
    edited December 2018

    Here is an interesting tip.  The eyes are rigged to bones.  However, being flat, I don't want to rotate the eyes. Instead, I just want to slide the Iris/Pupil over the white area.  If rigged in Studio and loaded in Carrara, you can unlock/unconstrain the polygons from the bone so they can be translated.  Uncheck the box for protected/constraint.

    nn05 eyes set constraint to none and can translate eyes.JPG
    1910 x 1017 - 205K
    Post edited by Diomede on
Sign In or Register to comment.